'''The Message''' is the twelfth episode of the ''[[Firefly]]'' TV series and wasn't aired during the original series run. It is the second of three episodes that were not broadcast in the original 2002 Fox run.

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*[[Craig Vincent]]

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*[[Morgan Rusler]]

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|writer=*[[Joss Whedon]]

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*[[Tim Minear]]

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|director=Tim Minear

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|production=

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|airdate=July 15, 2003

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|prev=[[Trash]]

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|next=[[Heart of Gold]]}}

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'''The Message''' is the twelfth episode of the ''[[Firefly]]'' TV series and wasn't aired during the original series run. It is the second of three episodes that were not broadcast in the original 2002 Fox run.

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A former [[Independents|Independence]] soldier who had served with [[Malcolm Reynolds|Mal]] and [[Zoe Alleyne Washburne|Zoe]] returns in a dramatic manner, with a vicious [[Anglo-SinoAlliance|Alliance]] officer chasing after him for some unusual smuggled goods.

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A former [[Independent Planets|Independence]] soldier who had served with [[Malcolm Reynolds|Mal]] and [[Zoë Alleyne Washburne|Zoë]] returns in a dramatic manner, with a vicious [[Union of AlliedPlanets|Alliance]] officer chasing after him for some unusual smuggled goods.

==Synopsis==

==Synopsis==

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The show opens on a [[Li Shen's Bazaar|space station]], inside of which there are people wandering about in a kind of carnival. A barker extols an exhibit featuring "proof of alien life". Inside the exhibit, [[Simon Tam|Simon]] and [[Kaywinnet Lee Frye|Kaylee]] stare at a tall, illuminated cylinder that holds a strange and apparently dead [[Dead Bessie|creature]]. The doctor declares that it is a mutated cow fetus, not an alien. Simon uses this moment alone with the engineer to attempt to get closer to her, but once again puts his foot in his mouth when he mentions that the only other women he knows are either married ([[Zoë Alleyne Washburne|Zoë]]), professional ([[Inara Serra|Inara]]), or related to him ([[River Tam|River]]), and Kaylee leaves in a huff. As Kaylee departs, Zoë and [[Hoban Washburne|Wash]] enter, the latter declaring that "it's grotesque" before noticing "something in a jar". Wash mockingly tries to communicate with the "alien", Zoë manages to both console and insult Simon. Back in the concourse, [[Inara Serra|Inara]] tries to convince [[Malcolm Reynolds|Mal]] to let her help fence the [[Lassiter]] they stole in "[[Trash]]", but Mal insists on keeping her out of that side of the business. Mal checks in with the station [[Amnon|postmaster]], who passes along two packages along with ''[[Serenity]]''{{'s}} mail.

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The show opens on a space station, inside of which there are people wandering about in a kind of carnival. A barker extols an exhibit featuring "proof of alien life". Inside the exhibit, [[SimonTam|Simon]] and[[KaywinnetLeeFrye|Kaylee]]stareatatall,illuminated cylinder that holds a strange and apparentlydeadcreature. The doctordeclaresthatitis a mutatedcowfetus,not analien. Simonusesthismoment alone with the engineer to attempt to get closer to her, but once again puts his foot in his mouth when he mentions that theotherwomen he knows are either married ([[Zoe Alleyne Washburne|Zoe]]), professional ([[Inara Serra|Inara]]), or related to him ([[River Tam|River]]), and Kaylee leaves in a huff. As Kaylee departs, Zoe and [[Hoban Washburne|Wash]] enter, the latter declaring that "it's grotesque"beforenoticing"something in a jar". Wash mockingly tries to communicate with the "alien",ZoemanagestobothconsoleandinsultSimon. Back in the concourse, [[Inara Serra|Inara]]tries to convince [[Malcolm Reynolds|Mal]] to let her help fence the [[Lassiter]]theystole in "[[Trash]]", but Mal insists on keeping her out of that side of the business. [[MalcolmReynolds|Mal]]checksinwiththestationpostmaster, who passes along two packages along with ''[[Serenity (ship)|Serenity's]]'' mail.

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[[JayneCobb|Jayne]] arrivestofindthathismotherhassenthim a home-knitted cap, and heproudlydons it. The othersobservethehideousheadgear with a mixtureofamusementandsarcasm. ("''Amanwalksdown the street in that hat,peopleknow he's notafraidofanything.''")Theothershippeditemisahugecrateaddressed to [[Malcolm Reynolds|Mal]] and [[ZoëAlleyneWashburne|Zoë]]. Theyopenittodiscoveradeadbody.

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[[JayneCobb|Jayne]]arrivestofindthathismotherhassenthim a home-knittedcap,andheproudlydonsit.Theothersobservethehideousheadgearwithamixture of amusementandsarcasm.("''Amanwalksdownthestreetinthathat,peopleknowhe'snotafraidofanything.''")Theothershippeditemisahugecrateaddressedto [[Malcolm Reynolds|Mal]] and [[ZoeAlleyneWashburne|Zoe]]. Theyopenittodiscoveradeadbody.

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Flashbacktosevenyearsearlieratthe[[BattleofDu-Khang]].As a young[[IndependentPlanets|Independence]]soldier,[[TraceySmith|PrivateTraceySmith]],calmlypreparesamealbehindcover,an[[Union of AlliedPlanets|Alliance]]soldiersneaksuponhim.Justasthelatterisabouttoshoot,Zoëappearsbehindhimandcutshisthroat.Whileshelecturestheboyabout stealth, [[Malcolm Reynolds|Sergeant Reynolds]] comes screaming (literally) over some obstacles and crashesintotheir position. TraceyisinjuredwhentheAlliance zeroes in on them. Mal and Zoë grab Tracey and their shell-shocked lieutenant andbugout.

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Flashbackto seven years earlier at the [[Battle of Du-Khang]]. As a young [[Independents|Independence]] soldier, [[TraceySmith|PrivateTracey Smith]], calmly prepares a meal behind cover, an [[Anglo-SinoAlliance|Alliance]]soldier sneaks up on him. Just as the latterisabouttoshoot,[[ZoeAlleyne Washburne|Zoe]] appears behind him and cuts his throat. While she lectures the boyabout stealth, [[Malcolm Reynolds|Sergeant Reynolds]] comesscreaming(literally)oversomeobstaclesand crashes into their position. [[TraceySmith|Tracey]]isinjuredwhenthe[[Anglo-SinoAlliance|Alliance]]zerosinon them.[[MalcolmReynolds|Mal]]and[[ZoeAlleyneWashburne|Zoe]] grab [[TraceySmith|Tracey]] and their shell-shocked lieutenant and bug out.

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Backin the present, thetwoex-soldierspuzzleover the "decentlypreserved"corpseoftheirformercomrade. Hauling the boxaboard''[[Serenity]]'',theyfindarecordedmessagefromTracey. Heapparentlyanticipatedtroublefromsomeunsavoryassociates,andhasasked them toshiphisbodyhometo [[St.Albans]].

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Back in the present, thetwoex-soldierspuzzleoverthe"decently preserved" corpse of their former comrade. Hauling the box aboard ''[[Serenity (ship)|Serenity]]'', theyfindarecordedmessagefrom [[Tracey Smith|Tracey]]. He apparentlyanticipatedtroublefromsomeunsavoryassociates, andhasaskedthemtoship his bodyhometo[[St.Albans]].

Back on the station, an ominous [[Anglo-SinoAlliance|Alliance]] soldier,Lieutenant [[Womack]],threatensfirst to imprison, then to burn to death the postmaster, whoquicklytells the man andhisaidewholeft with the "coffinsize package."

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On ''Serenity'', [[Jayne Cobb|Jayne]] waxes surprisingly philosophical about death to [[Derrial Book|Shepherd Book]], who contemplates a modest ceremony for the dead man; Jayne notes that he always gets the urge to 'do stuff' when he sees a corpse he didn't kill, prompting Book to speculate that Jayne likes to prove to himself that he's alive after witnessing death. [[River Tam|River]] arrives to make herself comfortable by lying on the casket. Meanwhile, Mal and Zoë entertain [[Inara Serra|Inara]] with a hilarious tale about [[Tracey Smith|Tracey's]] antics during [[Unification War|the war]], such as when he 'stole' an officer's moustache and stuck it on his face. Suddenly, the ship is shaken by a near miss from an [[Unionof Allied Planets|Alliance]] [[AllianceShort Range Enforcement Vessel|craft]]. Lt. [[Womack]] hailsthem and demands to board ''Serenity''. The crew mistakenly think that Womack is after the [[Lassiter]]. When Womack mentions "that crate", however, Mal realizes he's after Tracey's coffin, and stalls for time while they take apart the crate to discover what secrets it might contain. Finding nothing, they decide to have [[Simon Tam]] autopsy the hapless soldier, butthedoctors' first incision causes the "dead" man toleapupandstruggle with the gatheredcrew.

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On''[[Serenity(ship)|Serenity]]'',[[Jayne Cobb|Jayne]] waxes surprisingly philosophical about death to [[Derrial Book|Shepherd Book]], whocontemplates a modest ceremony for the dead man; [[Jayne Cobb|Jayne]] notes that he alwaysgetsthe urge to 'do stuff' when he sees a corpse he didn't kill, prompting Book to speculate that [[Jayne Cobb|Jayne]] likes to prove to himself that he's alive afterwitnessingdeath. [[RiverTam|River]]arrives to makeherselfcomfortableby lying on the casket. Meanwhile, [[Malcolm Reynolds|Mal]] and[[ZoeAlleyne Washburne|Zoe]] entertain [[Inara Serra|Inara]] with a hilarioustaleabout[[TraceySmith|Tracey's]]antics during [[Unification War|the war]],suchaswhenhe'stole'anofficer'smoustacheandstuckiton his face. Suddenly,theshipisshakenbyanearmissfroman [[Anglo-Sino Alliance|Alliance]] [[ASREV|craft]]. Lt.[[Womack]] hails them and demands to board ''[[Serenity (ship)|Serenity]]''.Thecrew mistakenly think that [[Womack]] is after the [[Lassiter]]. When [[Womack]] mentions "that crate", however,[[MalcolmReynolds|Mal]]realizeshe'safter[[TraceySmith|Tracey's]]box,andstallsfortimewhiletheytake apart the crate to discoverwhatsecretsitmightcontain.Findingnothing,theydecidetohave[[Simon Tam|Simon]] autopsythehaplesssoldier, but the doctors' first incision causes the "dead" man to leapup and struggle with the gatheredcrew.

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Afterhecalmsdown, Traceyconfesses that he issmugglingillegalinternalorgans. Hewassupposed to delivertheimplantedorgans on [[Ariel]],buthegot a higherbid.Unfortunatelyforhim, the originalbuyerskilledthenewcustomerandarenowaftertheirstolen"merchandise". TwomoreshotsfromWomackremindsthemoftheirimmediateperil. Washtakes ''Serenity'' downto [[St. Albans]], wheretheytryunsuccessfullytoeludetheirpursuerinanarrowsnowboundvalley.Theyfinallycome to restinsideahiddencave,buttheAlliance[[AllianceShortRangeEnforcementVessel|ship]] dropsexplosivechargesinto the valley to flushthemout.

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Afterhecalmsdown,[[TraceySmith|Tracey]]confessesthatheissmugglingillegalinternalorgans. Hewassupposedtodelivertheimplantedorganson[[Ariel]],buthegotahigherbid.Unfortunatelyforhim, the originalbuyerskilled the newcustomer and arenowaftertheirstolen"merchandise". AnothershotfromWomackreminds them of theirimmediateperil.Washtakes''[[Serenity(ship)|Serenity]]'' down to [[St. Albans]],wheretheytryunsuccessfullytoeludetheirpursuerinanarrowsnowboundvalley. Theyfinallycometorestinsideahiddencave,but the Alliance [[ASREV|ship]] dropsexplosivechargesintothevalley to flushthemout.

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Kayleegetstoknowandevenflirtwith the youngsoldierwhosewordsmesmerizedherearlier. BookdoessomecheckingontheirAlliancepursuersanddiscoverssomeanomalousbehavior.HeultimatelyrecommendstoMalthat they allow the Fedstoboard the ship. Tracey overhears some of thisconversation and pullsagunonthecrew. Malexpressesdisgustathis former subordinate's attempt to force them to get him out of hisownmess,andorders [[HobanWashburne|Wash]] to call the Feds. AsTraceyfiresatWash,woundinghim,Zoëshootstheungratefulmanin thechest. Woundedbutnotsloweddown,TraceygrabsKayleeforcover and heads for the cargo bay. When Mal confronts him about his treacherous behavior, Tracey lays into his former superiors about being "saps". [[Jayne Cobb|Jayne]] comesupbehindhim,andas Tracey turns to shoothim,Mal fires instead, knocking the young man to the ground.

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Kayleegetstoknowandeven flirt with the young soldier whose words mesmerized her earlier. Book does some checking on their [[Anglo-Sino Alliance|Alliance]] pursuers and discovers some anomalous behavior. He ultimately recommends to [[Malcolm Reynolds|Mal]] that they allow the Fedstoboardtheship.[[TraceySmith|Tracey]] overhearssome of this conversation and pulls a gun on the crew. [[MalcolmReynolds|Mal]] expressesdisgustathis formersubordinate'sattempttoforcethemtogethimoutofhisownmess,andorders[[HobanWashburne|Wash]] to call the Feds.As[[TraceySmith|Tracey]]firesat[[HobanWashburne|Wash]],woundinghim,[[ZoeAlleyneWashburne|Zoe]]shootstheungratefulmanin the chest.Woundedbutnotslowed down, [[TraceySmith|Tracey]]grabsKayleeforcoverandheads for the cargo bay. When[[MalcolmReynolds|Mal]]confrontshim about his treacherousbehavior, [[TraceySmith|Tracey]]laysinto his former superiors about being "saps". [[Jayne Cobb|Jayne]]comes up behind him,andas[[TraceySmith|Tracey]]turnsto shoot him,[[MalcolmReynolds|Mal]]fires instead, knocking the young man to theground.

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Lt.[[Womack]]entersthecargobay with [[Skunk]] and [[Fendris]]. He tries to cow the smugglerswithhis[[UnionofAlliedPlanets|Alliance]] authority,but the unarmed [[DerrialBook|Book]] arrivestoexplainwhyhewon'tbeusingthatauthority,giventhepainshe'stakentokeephisextracurricularorgan-dealingactivityfrom the localfederalagentsabouteightsectorsfromhisjurisdiction.Facedwithasurprisinglydirectthreatofdeathfrom the preacher,Womackdecidestodepart, dismissingthe"damagedgoods"inTracey'sgravely-woundedchest. Beforewalkingdowntheboardingramp, helooksto Jayne andtells him thatwearinghismother'shatmakes him looklikeanidiot.

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Lt.[[Womack]]andhismenenterthecargobay.Hetriestocow the smugglerswith his [[Anglo-SinoAlliance|Alliance]] authority, but an unarmed [[DerrialBook|Book]] arrives to explainwhyhewon'tbeusingthat authority, giventhepainshe'stakento keep his extracurricular organ-dealing activity from the local Feds. Facedwith a surprisinglydirectthreatofdeath from thepreacher, [[Womack]] decidesto depart, dismissing the "damagedgoods"in[[TraceySmith|Tracey's]] gravely-woundedchest.

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TraceybelatedlyrealizesthatBook'sconfrontationwaspartofaplan,onethat he screwed up by threatening the crewand getting himself shot for his efforts. He asks [[MalcolmReynolds|Mal]] and [[ZoëAlleyne Washburne|Zoë]] to deliverhimhomeoncemore,anddies, speakingaphrasetheysharedin the war. Accompaniedby a gloomymusicandvoiced-overexcerpts from Tracey'smessage, the crew of ''[[Serenity]]''solemnlyreturns the fallensoldiertohisgrievingfamily.

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[[Tracey Smith|Tracey]] belatedly realizes that [[Derrial Book|Book's]] confrontation was part of a plan, one that he screwed up by threatening the crew and getting himself shot for his efforts. He asks [[Malcolm Reynolds]] and [[Zoe Alleyne Washburne|Zoe]] to really deliver him home this time, then dies. Accompanied by a gloomy music and voiced-over excerpts from [[Tracey Smith|Tracey's]] message, the crew of ''[[Serenity (ship)|Serenity]]'' solemnly returns the fallen soldier to his grieving family.

==Behind the scenes==

==Behind the scenes==

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*[[Joss Whedon]] makes an uncredited cameo in this episode, playing a family member at Tracey's funeral.

*[[Joss Whedon]] makes an uncredited cameo in this episode, playing a family member at Tracey's funeral.

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*Composer Greg Edmonson stated that he felt the music he wrote for Tracey's funeral may be 'too pretty', as he wrote it not about Tracey's death, but as his personal farewell to the series. (The cast and crew were aware that Firefly had been canceled at this point in the show's run)

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*Composer Greg Edmonson stated that he felt the music he wrote for Tracey's funeral may be 'too pretty', as he wrote it not about Tracey's death, but as his personal farewell to the series. (The cast and crew were aware that Firefly had been canceled at this point in the show's run)

==Quotes==

==Quotes==

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* [[Quotes#The_Message|Memorable Quotes From the Episode "The Message"]]

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* [[Quotes#The Message|Memorable Quotes From the Episode "The Message"]]

Contents

The show opens on a space station, inside of which there are people wandering about in a kind of carnival. A barker extols an exhibit featuring "proof of alien life". Inside the exhibit, Simon and Kaylee stare at a tall, illuminated cylinder that holds a strange and apparently dead creature. The doctor declares that it is a mutated cow fetus, not an alien. Simon uses this moment alone with the engineer to attempt to get closer to her, but once again puts his foot in his mouth when he mentions that the only other women he knows are either married (Zoë), professional (Inara), or related to him (River), and Kaylee leaves in a huff. As Kaylee departs, Zoë and Wash enter, the latter declaring that "it's grotesque" before noticing "something in a jar". Wash mockingly tries to communicate with the "alien", Zoë manages to both console and insult Simon. Back in the concourse, Inara tries to convince Mal to let her help fence the Lassiter they stole in "Trash", but Mal insists on keeping her out of that side of the business. Mal checks in with the station postmaster, who passes along two packages along with Serenity's mail.

Jayne arrives to find that his mother has sent him a home-knitted cap, and he proudly dons it. The others observe the hideous headgear with a mixture of amusement and sarcasm. ("A man walks down the street in that hat, people know he's not afraid of anything.") The other shipped item is a huge crate addressed to Mal and Zoë. They open it to discover a dead body.

Flashback to seven years earlier at the Battle of Du-Khang. As a young Independence soldier, Private Tracey Smith, calmly prepares a meal behind cover, an Alliance soldier sneaks up on him. Just as the latter is about to shoot, Zoë appears behind him and cuts his throat. While she lectures the boy about stealth, Sergeant Reynolds comes screaming (literally) over some obstacles and crashes into their position. Tracey is injured when the Alliance zeroes in on them. Mal and Zoë grab Tracey and their shell-shocked lieutenant and bug out.

Back in the present, the two ex-soldiers puzzle over the "decently preserved" corpse of their former comrade. Hauling the box aboard Serenity, they find a recorded message from Tracey. He apparently anticipated trouble from some unsavory associates, and has asked them to ship his body home to St. Albans.

Back on the station, an ominous Alliance law officer, Lieutenant Womack, enters with two goons (Skunk and Fendris). He threatens first to imprison, then to incinerate the postmaster Amnon, who quickly tells the man and his aides who left with the "coffin size package."

On Serenity, Jayne waxes surprisingly philosophical about death to Shepherd Book, who contemplates a modest ceremony for the dead man; Jayne notes that he always gets the urge to 'do stuff' when he sees a corpse he didn't kill, prompting Book to speculate that Jayne likes to prove to himself that he's alive after witnessing death. River arrives to make herself comfortable by lying on the casket. Meanwhile, Mal and Zoë entertain Inara with a hilarious tale about Tracey's antics during the war, such as when he 'stole' an officer's moustache and stuck it on his face. Suddenly, the ship is shaken by a near miss from an Alliancecraft. Lt. Womack hails them and demands to board Serenity. The crew mistakenly think that Womack is after the Lassiter. When Womack mentions "that crate", however, Mal realizes he's after Tracey's coffin, and stalls for time while they take apart the crate to discover what secrets it might contain. Finding nothing, they decide to have Simon Tam autopsy the hapless soldier, but the doctors' first incision causes the "dead" man to leap up and struggle with the gathered crew.

After he calms down, Tracey confesses that he is smuggling illegal internal organs. He was supposed to deliver the implanted organs on Ariel, but he got a higher bid. Unfortunately for him, the original buyers killed the new customer and are now after their stolen "merchandise". Two more shots from Womack reminds them of their immediate peril. Wash takes Serenity down to St. Albans, where they try unsuccessfully to elude their pursuer in a narrow snowbound valley. They finally come to rest inside a hidden cave, but the Alliance ship drops explosive charges into the valley to flush them out.

Kaylee gets to know and even flirt with the young soldier whose words mesmerized her earlier. Book does some checking on their Alliance pursuers and discovers some anomalous behavior. He ultimately recommends to Mal that they allow the Feds to board the ship. Tracey overhears some of this conversation and pulls a gun on the crew. Mal expresses disgust at his former subordinate's attempt to force them to get him out of his own mess, and orders Wash to call the Feds. As Tracey fires at Wash, wounding him, Zoë shoots the ungrateful man in the chest. Wounded but not slowed down, Tracey grabs Kaylee for cover and heads for the cargo bay. When Mal confronts him about his treacherous behavior, Tracey lays into his former superiors about being "saps". Jayne comes up behind him, and as Tracey turns to shoot him, Mal fires instead, knocking the young man to the ground.

Lt. Womack enters the cargo bay with Skunk and Fendris. He tries to cow the smugglers with his Alliance authority, but the unarmed Book arrives to explain why he won't be using that authority, given the pains he's taken to keep his extracurricular organ-dealing activity from the local federal agents about eight sectors from his jurisdiction. Faced with a surprisingly direct threat of death from the preacher, Womack decides to depart, dismissing the "damaged goods" in Tracey's gravely-wounded chest. Before walking down the boarding ramp, he looks to Jayne and tells him that wearing his mother's hat makes him look like an idiot.

Tracey belatedly realizes that Book's confrontation was part of a plan, one that he screwed up by threatening the crew and getting himself shot for his efforts. He asks Mal and Zoë to deliver him home once more, and dies, speaking a phrase they shared in the war. Accompanied by a gloomy music and voiced-over excerpts from Tracey's message, the crew of Serenity solemnly returns the fallen soldier to his grieving family.

Joss Whedon makes an uncredited cameo in this episode, playing a family member at Tracey's funeral.

Composer Greg Edmonson stated that he felt the music he wrote for Tracey's funeral may be 'too pretty', as he wrote it not about Tracey's death, but as his personal farewell to the series. (The cast and crew were aware that Firefly had been canceled at this point in the show's run)